Jeremy Farrow – Bristol/Cotham

October 2017

Convicted paedophile used fake name to join table tennis club based at school near Taunton

A convicted paedophile who used a fake name to join a table tennis club based at a primary school near Taunton later approached two young boys, scaring them so much they hid in a garden.

Jeremy Farrow, 49, currently a serving prisoner at HMP Exeter but previously living at Bishops Lydeard, appeared before Taunton Crown Court after admitting two breaches of a sexual harm prevention order and breaching his sex offender notification requirements.

Prosecuting, Caroline Bolt said Farrow had been convicted of gross indecency with a child in 2003 and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order.

Part of his conditions were that he notified police within three days if using an alias and having no unsupervised contact with children under the age of 16.

“But it was discovered that he he had used an alias to join classes at Blackbrook Leisure Centre in Taunton and a table tennis club at West Monkton Primary School,” she said. “He used the alias long enough to attend five sessions at Blackbrook and two at the school.”

When he was arrested by police, he claimed a volunteer at the club had filled in the forms for him, had written down the incorrect name.

She also told the court that on August 18 this year, Farrow approached two boys playing on their scooters, telling them where he lived and saying he had expensive bikes at his home and inviting them to see them.

“The boys said no, but two days later, at about 7pm, the same boys saw him again. He blocked their path and asked them to walk him home.

“They said no and left, but they thought he was following them, so they hid in a garden.”

Mrs Bolt also told the court Farrow had breached his order in 2009, 2011 and 2013, and had served 20 months in prison.

Sentencing, Judge David Ticehurst told Farrow: “You failed to complete with your orders, you used a false name and joined a club based at a primary school – no doubt as a result of your your perverted desire to get close to young boys to enable you to abuse them.

“You are a persistent offender and you are going to need help to deal with the perversions you have. If you keep offending, you will go to prison for longer and longer periods.”

He was sentenced to 12 months in prison for failing to notify police about the alias and three years in jail for two breaches of the sexual harm prevention order, to run concurrently.

He was also ordered to pay a £170 surcharge and the two boys were given an indefinite restraining order against him.

November 2011

Paedophile exposed himself to boys on the Bristol to Bath cycle path

A CONVICTED paedophile who exposed himself to young boys on the Bristol to Bath cycle path has been jailed.

Jeremy Farrow, 43, terrified his victims, who were all young boys aged under ten

Farrow, who is of no fixed abode, grabbed two youngsters as they picked blackberries and exposed himself.

On another occasion he flashed in toilets beside the cycle track. He was arrested after alarmed witnesses phoned the police and a search was mounted for him.

The sexual “predator” admitted three charges of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of children aged under 13 and asked for a further five similar offences to be taken in to consideration.

He was jailed for three years at Bristol Crown Court, handed a sexual offences prevention order banning him from unsupervised contact with boys under 16 and from going within 50 metres of an off-road cycle path until further order.

Farrow will also be on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely. Neil Treharne, prosecuting, told how the defendant exposed himself on a string of occasions on the Bristol to Bath cycle path.

He first flashed in front of a ten-year-old boy on September 16 this year in a public toilet. He said Farrow exposed himself as the boy left and told him to look.

The defendant was next said to have struck on September 23 when two boys aged six and seven were picking blackberries on the cycle path near Junction Way at Mangotsfield. Mr Treharne said Farrow approached them pushing his bike and exposed himself before grabbing the boys and pretending to show them a grasshopper.

He said the boys managed to run off but 30 minutes later at Siston Common, Farrow was seen lying on a bench showing his private parts in front of boys aged under ten.

A woman saw what happened and phoned the police.

Mr Treharne said officers started a systematic search along the track after receiving several phone calls.

The court heard Farrow was seen speeding away by police down Railway Terrace but then cycled into an officer and was arrested.

Mr Treharne said Farrow was already a registered sex offender and has a previous conviction for gross indecency with a child, a nine-year-old boy he had detained against his will in woods.

Martin Lanchester, defending, said his client offended because he had no sexual contact with anyone and was attacked by adults. He said he knew he had done wrong.

Jailing Farrow, Judge Martin Picton said: “These were really serious offences. You really frightened those boys. It has had a big effect on them. It has damaged their sense of confidence in living their lives.

“Kids should be able to go out on their bikes without worrying that there are predators to terrify them.”

December 2009

Bristol paedophile used Facebook and Xbox to groom boy, 14

A ‘manipulative’ paedophile from Bristol has been jailed for using Facebook and his Xbox games console to groom a 14-year-old boy.

Jeremy Farrow, of Freemantle Road, Cotham, was banned from contacting boys under 16 when he was convicted of gross indecency in 2003.

Yet the 41-year-old was found to have 84 school-age “friends” on the social networking site and started ringing and sending text messages to one schoolboy, Bristol Crown Court heard.

Prosecuting, Ian Fenny explained how six years ago Farrow was given a community rehabilitation order and made subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) when he exposed himself to a boy in a car park.

But this summer, having joined Facebook, he befriended a 14-year-old boy.

Farrow had written his real age on his profile and said he was hoping to meet a woman through the site.

But Mr Fenny said: “It was clear from what would transpire and what happened in the past that this defendant’s sexual preference is for young boys.”

Farrow would play online computer games with the boy and having got his mobile phone number from Facebook, began to contact him more and more.

The court heard when Farrow asked him to perform a sex act, the boy refused, told his parents and the incident was reported to police.

Farrow also tried to meet with the boy, saying he would buy him Xbox games if he agreed.

Farrow admitted breaching his SOPO and “attempting to arrange or facilitate the commission of a child sex offence”.

Sending him to jail for two-and-a-half years, Judge Mark Horton said: “This is yet another salutary tale for parents and other adults who do not already monitor their children’s Facebook and internet activity when they should do, particularly when playing games over the internet with other people.”

He described Farrow as a “determined” and “manipulative sexual predator”. He added: “It’s a very brave young man who had the good sense to report this to his parents in this case, and this prevented this serious endeavour proceeding further.”

Virginia Cornwall, mitigating, said Farrow lived alone, was suffering from depression and had genuinely joined Facebook in the hope of meeting a woman.

She said: “Despite what is an obvious interest in young boys he has tried to put that out of his mind. He wants to be normal, he wants to meet a woman.

“He is adamant that he would not have actually gone through with any touching.”

She said Farrow was very sorry and felt guilty about what had happened.

Judge Horton imposed an indefinite SOPO and ordered Farrow to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years.